The Black Tree
by Klutz242
Summary: Tonks remembers her cousin and is reminded of his strenght.


**A/N This is for BlueEyes444's "100 Challenge". My character is Tonks (YAY!), my pairing Regulus/Marlene, and my word is tree. I own absolutely nothing!**

Tonks shook with anger as she stomped out of the Great Hall, ignoring the laughter that had filled the room. She was a klutz. She knew it and accepted it. But for someone to say that she just liked being on her knees… in front of everyone? That was a low fucking blow. She made her way outside and smiled as the cool breeze surrounded her. She wasn't surprised that nobody else was out, after all it was eight in morning on a Saturday and a little chilly. Tonks smiled when she saw her tree. It was an apple tree with a short stump, but filled out nicely with apples and leaves. It was far away that no one could see her, but it sat where she could still see everything behind her.

Tonks sat at the bottom of the tree and started tracing the names of lovers that had sat there before her. The initials varied from AC/FG to ZZ/KB. But the letters that really got to her was RB/MM. Her mother had told her that story. This RB wasn't just some random guy, but her second cousin, only twelve years older than her, and only 19 when he had died. Andromeda had told her the story of these two miss-matched lovers. And Tonks couldn't but think of Romeo and Juliet… except a bit more realistic.

According to Andromeda the story went like this:

_*FLASH BACK*_

_ It was a warm Sunday morning. A family of three was eating breakfast and laughing at each other. A six year old was morphing her nose into different animal noses, to the amusement of her young parents. The little girl's father was laughing joyfully while the mother was shaking her head and trying to hold back her smile. A knock on the door made the laughter stop quickly._

_ "Were you expecting anyone Andy?" Ted asked Andromeda softly._

_ She shook her head lightly. "No," she stated simply. The couple shared a look before Andromeda forced a smile and turned to her daughter. "Dora love, why don't you play in your room for a little bit while we talk to the person at the door?"_

_ The knocking continued but Dora only smiled brightly. "Okie dokie mommy!" She said brightly before skipping off. Once they were sure Dora was in her room with the door shut the two adults let worry cross their features. _

_ "Do you think it could be one of them?" Andy whispered urgently._

_ "I'm not sure, I've never thought of them to be polite enough to knock," Ted murmured back with a forced smile. Andy rolled her eyes but squeezed her husband's hand for support. Together they walked to the door, each with a hand holding tightly to their wand. Ted opened the door and they both froze when they saw who it was. _

_ "Hiya Andy," the boy said softly as he looked at his feet. _

_ "What are you doing here Reg?" Andromeda asked her eighteen year old cousin breathlessly._

_ "Can I talk to you?" Regulus asked weakly as he looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. Ted and Andy shared a look before Andy nodded quickly and pulled Reg in gently with the hand not holding her wand. _

_ Reg was about to say something but Andy held up a finger. "Before you start, prove it's you. Tell me something only you would know."_

_ Reg nodded in understanding. "I've been keeping in contact with you for that last six years through letters. I was at Dora's birth. Your real middle name is Calimacledona but you tell everyone it's just Cali. Bella was the person to try and stop you when you told everyone you were leaving but I was the one to help you pack your bag. Sirius came to you when he ran away three years ago before moving in with the Potter's. And-" Reg closed his eyes before adding the last part. "I'm in love with a muggleborn."_

_ Andy and Ted gaped open mouth at the boy. "You… your… what?" Andy asked slowly._

_ "Do you remember Marlene McKinnon? We didn't get along until 4__th__ year and we started dating in sixth. But in the beginning of seventh year we broke up because I caught her with someone else and that night I became a Death Eater. I saw her again a month ago and we agreed to try again. But… I don't know what to do! If HE finds out she's dead. And… I really think I love her." Regulus said slightly begging before ending with a small smile._

_ "Reg," Andy said softly before pulling him in for a hug tightly. _

_ "I didn't know where else to go," he muttered into her hair. "Nobody else would understand."_

_ "Don't you worry," Andy whispered back. "I'll help you." _

_ Together all three planned how he could stay with Marlene and leave the Dark Lord. They were still talking and planning when a little girl's voice said. "I'm bored momma, can I come out of my room?_

_ Andy laughed. "Yes you can hunny, come on out. I want you to meet someone anyhow." Dora walked out of her room with pink pigtails, purple tights, and a green flowered skirt._

_ She looked at Regulus curiously with her head tilted to the side before saying, "Hey… I know you! You're my cousin Reg!" The girl stated brightly as her blue eyes widened. _

_ Regulus seemed to light up. "And I know you! You're my cousin Dora! Merlin you've gotten big!"_

_ "Of course I'm big silly! I'm six now!" She said laughing._

_ "Six! Oh my goodness! You're practically an adult!" Regulus said as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped dramatically. _

_ She giggled at his silliness. "Do you wanna play a game with me?" Dora asked him innocently. _

_ Regulus looked at Andy and Ted for permission, and when they smiled he turned back to Dora with a look of pure joy. "Whatever game you want!"_

_*End Flash Back*_

Tonks smiled at the half memory/half story. After that day Regulus had visited them every Sunday for a year. Sirius and him never talked though, Sirius said he just couldn't deal with it. Tonks quickly pushed Sirius out of her thoughts and reminded herself of the game she had forced Reg to play. She had forced him to play dress up and had done his makeup, hair, and clothes. They still had the picture at the house. Tonks closed her eyes as she remembered how it all ended. Regulus had betrayed the Dark Lord and had been killed, and Marlene (sweet, quiet Marlene) was killed by Bellatrix a month later after finding out about her and Reg.

Suddenly Tonks didn't know why she was hiding from the school. Marlene and Reg had gone through so much, and yet she was mad because a stupid kid had said something. Shaking her head, Tonks walked away from her tree. From her cousin's tree. From the Black Tree. She changed her hair to pink and her eyes to grey and walked back to the school with her head held high in memory of the cousin that had never lied.

THE END

**A/N So what do you all think? I don't think this was my best but… it's not my worst eh? What do you all think? Review and let me know!**


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